Recently I have settled into life as a graduate. Also known as being continually skint and living in the " 'hood "... It builds character.
The neighborhood is a total ethnic stew and I love it. I went to the Sunday market a few blocks from my house to buy avocados (10 nearly rotten ones for 1£). Score!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Nazzie's Birthday
Sunday we celebrated Sarvenaz' birthday with drinks on the South Bank at Royal Festival Hall. After dinner we wanted to have a keepsake photo of the evening so we posed by the river. While we were walking toward the embankment, a drunken man crawled over the railing so he was balancing on the river-side of the rail, looking out onto the promenade. None of us saw it, but I think we all heard it..... He just fell (or jumped).
The thing is it was low tide so he fell into the Thames beach about 30 or so feet down. He was barely moving, so Richard decided it would be best to call the police as the tide could come up and take this guy away really fast.
He tells the 999 operator that a man has jumped from the embankment walkway into the river.
They want a street name.
R: Well... we are on a pedestrian promenade. There is no street.
999: We need a street in order to locate you.
R: Okay… we are standing in front of Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank … the promenade on the Thames.
999: I don't know where Royal Festival Hall is.
R: (Agast) OK. He is basically in the water of the RIVER THAMES. About 100 feet off of Festival Pier. Between Embankment and Waterloo Bridges.
999: We need a street name, sir.
R: It's a river!
The police finally agree to come to him, provided we stay there. Meanwhile, after making some sort of attempt at a sand angel, he peels himself off the sand (I mean it, peels) barely walks up the stairs back to the promenade. He chats a bit with Richard and then falls asleep on the sidewalk face down.
Happy birthday Nazzie!
The thing is it was low tide so he fell into the Thames beach about 30 or so feet down. He was barely moving, so Richard decided it would be best to call the police as the tide could come up and take this guy away really fast.
He tells the 999 operator that a man has jumped from the embankment walkway into the river.
They want a street name.
R: Well... we are on a pedestrian promenade. There is no street.
999: We need a street in order to locate you.
R: Okay… we are standing in front of Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank … the promenade on the Thames.
999: I don't know where Royal Festival Hall is.
R: (Agast) OK. He is basically in the water of the RIVER THAMES. About 100 feet off of Festival Pier. Between Embankment and Waterloo Bridges.
999: We need a street name, sir.
R: It's a river!
The police finally agree to come to him, provided we stay there. Meanwhile, after making some sort of attempt at a sand angel, he peels himself off the sand (I mean it, peels) barely walks up the stairs back to the promenade. He chats a bit with Richard and then falls asleep on the sidewalk face down.
Happy birthday Nazzie!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Thesis....
My freedom is nigh, and you can bet it tastes like happy!
Thesis due in 23h451m.
And then what?
Taking a break, entertaining my Abbie, then reading lots and lots of books.
Eventually, I should attempt to land a job.
But let's not rush things when life is so good.
Thesis due in 23h451m.
And then what?
Taking a break, entertaining my Abbie, then reading lots and lots of books.
Eventually, I should attempt to land a job.
But let's not rush things when life is so good.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Viva Espania!
Will write a long post about it later... but for now here are some photos!
Our pool.
Evening Cuban Cigar
"Very unwanted swimming."
Bliss.
Because Richard never seems to mind where photos of him in Y-fronts end up.... here you go, Dickie.
Day 2: Prematurely ageing skin.
Sunshine+sundress+ham=inner peace
Family Photo, waiting for our car.
Afternoon Cuban Cigar
Afternoon Cuban Cigar
Our pool.
Evening Cuban Cigar
"Very unwanted swimming."
Bliss.
Because Richard never seems to mind where photos of him in Y-fronts end up.... here you go, Dickie.
Day 2: Prematurely ageing skin.
Sunshine+sundress+ham=inner peace
"It's good to have land!!!!"
MORE PHOTOS CAN ALSO BE FOUND BY CLICKING HERE!
MORE PHOTOS CAN ALSO BE FOUND BY CLICKING HERE!
Sunday, June 08, 2008
My Life, Post Exams.
I am back in the social loop now, and am enjoying it quite nicely! And I have been exhausting my Museums Association Membership and visiting all the exhibitions I eyed during the exam period!
One of my good friends in London is a master's art student, and she clued me in to the First Thursday events. The private art galleries in my area (and there are many) open late on the first Thursday of every month. They supply a DJ and serve free beer and wine to guests. We must have gone to at least six of them. It was all very East End, not pretentious at all, which pleased me because I am a microbiologist, not an artist. At the after party, which was at a nicer bar around the corner from my home, the crowd changed a bit into the Hoxton elite, but all was well because the elite crew was still nice and we met some very interesting people!
Earlier that day I went solo to the Hayward Gallery Psycho Buildings exhibit. It was amazing! They actually built a pond on the roof of the building. So, it was four p.m. on a rare sunny day in London and I was on a rowboat on a roof overlooking Big Ben and all of London. If that isn't nice, what is? --I am going back later this week and will try to take a photo.
Yesterday was moving day! This has some pros and cons. Basically, everyone in my building had to move to another building so that they can turn my building into a hostel. It turns out, I had way more stuff in my shoebox than I could have imagined. But, luckily we made it into a family affair and Richard and Tino moved Ashley and I over within hours, while my unlucky friends took over seven hours to finally move. My room is a bit smaller than my last one (if possible), but it is also very cozy! The bad parts are that Ashley and I were split up, and I now live with three Chinese men and women who cook alot,--- and their cooking smells. Bad. (Terribly sorry, but it is true!). But, on the upside, I won't have to send Ashley anymore nasty text messages that shrewdly imply over and over that if she wants a happy roommate and friend she will need to buy milk, eggs, and bread. She also won't be texting me at 3 a.m. asking "are you awake?" when she locks herself out. (When you text me at 3 a.m., that results in waking me up, and by default, I am then awake).
After our mad moving afternoon, I met up with Mia (the art student) for a roof party.
Parties and ponds on roofs! Very nice indeed.
Now we are gearing up for our vacation in Spain! We may do some snorkeling, or some jet skiing, but definitely some laying around and doing nothing in the sun!!
Here is the website for the area we are going to! It looks LOVELY!!
I am off now to go destroy the private gardens of the rich and famous. This is the one day of the year the private gardens and squares are open. Get ready!
One of my good friends in London is a master's art student, and she clued me in to the First Thursday events. The private art galleries in my area (and there are many) open late on the first Thursday of every month. They supply a DJ and serve free beer and wine to guests. We must have gone to at least six of them. It was all very East End, not pretentious at all, which pleased me because I am a microbiologist, not an artist. At the after party, which was at a nicer bar around the corner from my home, the crowd changed a bit into the Hoxton elite, but all was well because the elite crew was still nice and we met some very interesting people!
Earlier that day I went solo to the Hayward Gallery Psycho Buildings exhibit. It was amazing! They actually built a pond on the roof of the building. So, it was four p.m. on a rare sunny day in London and I was on a rowboat on a roof overlooking Big Ben and all of London. If that isn't nice, what is? --I am going back later this week and will try to take a photo.
Yesterday was moving day! This has some pros and cons. Basically, everyone in my building had to move to another building so that they can turn my building into a hostel. It turns out, I had way more stuff in my shoebox than I could have imagined. But, luckily we made it into a family affair and Richard and Tino moved Ashley and I over within hours, while my unlucky friends took over seven hours to finally move. My room is a bit smaller than my last one (if possible), but it is also very cozy! The bad parts are that Ashley and I were split up, and I now live with three Chinese men and women who cook alot,--- and their cooking smells. Bad. (Terribly sorry, but it is true!). But, on the upside, I won't have to send Ashley anymore nasty text messages that shrewdly imply over and over that if she wants a happy roommate and friend she will need to buy milk, eggs, and bread. She also won't be texting me at 3 a.m. asking "are you awake?" when she locks herself out. (When you text me at 3 a.m., that results in waking me up, and by default, I am then awake).
After our mad moving afternoon, I met up with Mia (the art student) for a roof party.
Parties and ponds on roofs! Very nice indeed.
Now we are gearing up for our vacation in Spain! We may do some snorkeling, or some jet skiing, but definitely some laying around and doing nothing in the sun!!
Here is the website for the area we are going to! It looks LOVELY!!
I am off now to go destroy the private gardens of the rich and famous. This is the one day of the year the private gardens and squares are open. Get ready!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
5 Exams Down!
Only 18 hours of this hell left! I will regain my life tomorrow and celebrate by:
Immediately hitting the pub with classmates.
Going to H&M to by myself something nice... but cheap... and that I needed anyway.
Going to H&M to by myself something nice... but cheap... and that I needed anyway.
Taking a long nap.
Enjoying a shower beer (beer in the shower... also known as heaven).
Making my hair really.... BIG.
Then out with the medical molecular biology ladies.
Can't wait!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Happy Race Day....
I have been studying for these exams since Mom left, and have felt exiled from life ever since then!
I will update you on the few occurences that were interesting, but do not involve studying.
SWAP-A-RAMA: The New York Times did an article on this party night in London! Anyway, if you can believe it, I swapped a Santa Claus hat for a SIR PEYTON MANNING jersey! I saw the blue shirt/white stripes/number 18 and then practically accausted this poor fellow. He didn't see the big deal about the shirt. Clearly, he was an idiot and swapped me the most holy shirt in the land for a fuzzy red head cover. Score.
So, I was full-on representing everything I love at this weeks swap. It had a no pants theme (executed tastefully, thank you) and I wore (thick, thank you) black leggings with my Union Jack undewear over the top and my Sir Peyton jersey! My camera is officially killed, so unfortunately the photos I have are crap. My internet is also killed, so even if I did have photos I couldn't load them...
Last week I was walking from my house to Old Street tube and I was grabbed by some £&%$. On the very rare occasions that a man whistles/yells/stares at me, I always ignore them because I think it is rude and I should be able to walk in peace. This man did not find this acceptable and said hey lady and gave me a bear hug. I was completely un-prepared for this and just kicked as hard as possible (not very hard, as they were like 2 inch kicks). Anyway, he let me go.... Leaving everyone standing at the bus stop at noon on Wednesday in utter shock.
PHOTOS FROM MOM-A-RAMA RAZZMATAZZ.
These are from my facebook album... let's see if this link works! Yes, click here for mom week photos.
Yes? No? Well now this is fun! I can share other facebook photos!!! and here for other photos!
Oh, and as further evidence that I am the luckiest girl in the world, I have purchased a post-exam treat for myself. .... a weekend on the Spanish Coast. Costa Blanca, here I come....
Sunday, April 06, 2008
With excitement!
My mommy may take over my blog for the next week.... as she is coming to London town!! I couldn't possibly be more excited!
OK: Confidential to my dearest Auntie M: mdmetcal@gmail.com (notice how there is no F at the end, OK?). Write asap!
With love and such from London!
OK: Confidential to my dearest Auntie M: mdmetcal@gmail.com (notice how there is no F at the end, OK?). Write asap!
With love and such from London!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
So much is new!!
I just finished my last assignment of the year! In a few hours I have to present a poster I made (on cytokines, COOL!) and then I am done with my master's degree classes.
... Kind of. I have 6 exams in May and they are all worth 50% of my final grade.
In the mean time I will be in the lab full-time. Then I will be working hard to finish my thesis.
But I have plenty to look forward to in the mean time. --> MOM IS COMING!
Amusing public transportation stories:
A suit-ed and booted man was sitting next to a homeless-looking man on the tube. Both appeared to be in their fifties. The disheveled man was doing a sudoku and his pencil broke. The city man immediately offered him his pen. The homeless man pulled out another pencil and said, "Thank you, boss, but I always carry a spare." Isn't that lovely?
A few weeks earlier, I was at my stop at Old Street and for the first time ever I the train was so busy I couldn't get to the doors to exit in time. A city man noticed my horror and demanded that everyone 'make way' for me to make it out of the train. I did, but was followed by a suit. He said, "Miss, I believe you dropped this." ...It was my iPod. The earbuds were still in my ears, and I was apparently dragging it. I would have had a grave surprise when the wire snapped as the train pulled away. I love that man.
The other week I jumped onto a train just as the doors were beeping (closing). I was successful... kind of. The doors closed on my backpack, so I looked like a bug who flipped over. It took what seemed like ages for an elderly man and a young chav to pull the doors back open. Then I had to stand there in the train as 'that girl.' And take out my iPod to thank them.
The point is: there is a lot of good will on the Underground!
The last few weeks have been busy! We had our monthly clothes-swap last Thursday. As you know, I am slightly cooler than most people. Apparently my coolness has caught on and now everyone wants a piece of the swap! We waited in line from 8:30-10:00. Can you believe this? Viva la swap!? I think it has run it's course for me...
PHOTO: My friends and me at the Barbican!
... Kind of. I have 6 exams in May and they are all worth 50% of my final grade.
In the mean time I will be in the lab full-time. Then I will be working hard to finish my thesis.
But I have plenty to look forward to in the mean time. --> MOM IS COMING!
Amusing public transportation stories:
A suit-ed and booted man was sitting next to a homeless-looking man on the tube. Both appeared to be in their fifties. The disheveled man was doing a sudoku and his pencil broke. The city man immediately offered him his pen. The homeless man pulled out another pencil and said, "Thank you, boss, but I always carry a spare." Isn't that lovely?
A few weeks earlier, I was at my stop at Old Street and for the first time ever I the train was so busy I couldn't get to the doors to exit in time. A city man noticed my horror and demanded that everyone 'make way' for me to make it out of the train. I did, but was followed by a suit. He said, "Miss, I believe you dropped this." ...It was my iPod. The earbuds were still in my ears, and I was apparently dragging it. I would have had a grave surprise when the wire snapped as the train pulled away. I love that man.
The other week I jumped onto a train just as the doors were beeping (closing). I was successful... kind of. The doors closed on my backpack, so I looked like a bug who flipped over. It took what seemed like ages for an elderly man and a young chav to pull the doors back open. Then I had to stand there in the train as 'that girl.' And take out my iPod to thank them.
The point is: there is a lot of good will on the Underground!
The last few weeks have been busy! We had our monthly clothes-swap last Thursday. As you know, I am slightly cooler than most people. Apparently my coolness has caught on and now everyone wants a piece of the swap! We waited in line from 8:30-10:00. Can you believe this? Viva la swap!? I think it has run it's course for me...
PHOTO: My friends and me at the Barbican!
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Fruition Embodied
This is the ever-so-late Amsterdam post. I am only going to write what we did during the trip, so it may not be the most interesting post. But to start I will say Amsterdam is an amazing laid back city. I didn't see a SINGLE Starbucks. And, there are 750,000 people in the city and 600,000 bikes. Thus, Amsterdam is the closest city to Utopia.
Thursday:
We had a pleasant journey from Heathrow and landed in Amsterdam around 10 pm. The train from the airport to central Amsterdam was only 15 min. long and only 4 Euros. That is, unless you are Tino, who decided he would get the discounted ticket, eligible only for children. This didn't bode well with the ticket attendant, but Tino played the perfect ignorant tourist and talked himself out of a 50 Euro fine. Job well done.
After settling into our rooms, we ate a disgusting falafel meal at the disgusting Leicester Square-esque area in town and then called it a night.*
Friday:
Richard didn't set his alarm properly and we met Tino and Ashley in Vondel Park, which was next to our hostel, about a half hour late. The hostel was as bare-bones as you could get. The room was a standard sized motel room, but had four bunk beds... a tight squeeze!
The Van Gogh Museum was first on our list. I learned that he only actually painted for ten years and went through many different styles, not just the brightly colored gobs of paint on canvas you usually see. Then we headed to a mother-daughter owned cafe, a colorful coffee-house decorated with a mural of Van Gogh smoking a joint.
We had dinner at an Indonesian place with menu descriptions as specific as "Goble-de-gook Plate: Decadent and lovely." Who needs an ingredient list? (As it turns out none of us, because the surprise dishes were as tasty as can be!). The punchy waitress informed us that the background music was performed by the Dutch equivalent to Frank Sinatra. He had died the day before and they were playing it as a tribute. It was awful. Between the four of us we couldn't decide if we were happy he died because he would no longer make any more music, or if we were sad he died because we were currently being forced to listen to it.
After this we did some Amsterdam shopping and walked around Vondel Park until late late late in the evening.
Saturday:
Dick still hadn't figured out the time change and AGAIN set his alarm for an hour off Amsterdam time. He decided to buy my forgiveness by offering to treat me to a bagel and coffee. It turned out that two bagels and two coffees go for exactly $16.50 in Amsterdam. This gave me a lot of quiet glee!
We met Tino and Ashley in Vondel Park and then enjoyed a pancake breakfast. (I mentioned above this post is for record keeping, not for entertainment.)
After this we rented bikes. This has so far been the best money I have ever spent in Europe. And, apparently, I am considered a little person, and was given a little person bike. Ashley kept warning us that she hadn't ridden a bike since her childhood and she inevitably fell off the bike about 2 blocks into our ride.** What did the nearest onlooker do? Laugh. And not an ordinary chuckle- he screamed, pointed, and had a deeeeep belly laugh.
We rode our bikes to Rembrandt's house. I want to say it was an awesome filled with his paintings, but it actually used to be his house. It contained zero artwork and zero insight into the life of this man. I only suggest going to see this museum if you have an incredible interest into his daily routine, or if you have written a Ph.D. dissertation on the type of crap he liked to collect (stuffed dead animals, weapons, etc).
Okay, now the good stuff!
We rode our bikes to the Red Light District. I was aware that there would be prostitutes in windows, but it was really shocking to actually see them! The girls (some looked like supermodels, some looked like Rosanne Barr) would open a door and you could just walk into their room (!).
The boys went to the hemp museum. Ashley and I were uninterested and we decided to meet back up with them later. We were in the middle of the Red Light District and had no idea what to do. We passed a place that had a PEEP SHOW sign, and we thought, "Well, when in Rome..."
It was 2 Euro for 2 minutes. There were frosted windows that magically cleared after you put your coins in the slot, this revealed a girl stripping on a bed... make that a rotating bed. Ashley and I were bored after about 30 seconds, but it is worth the story, not to mention the look on the boys' faces when they asked us what we got up to!
After this we ate a fondue dinner. I learned that Ashley has a tendancy to be right 99% of the time. Cheese fondue is not at all yummy. After I left I realized my dinner consisted of bread with cheese, and french fries with cheese. Then we headed to the theatre to see a visual explosion of [insert euphemism and change subject].
After the show I got Richard back for not setting the alarm correctly by demanding at 12:30 am that we needed to go out and find a proper dinner. This was NOT an easy task. I again got a great amount of glee in this. I don't consider this vindictive.
Anyway, Sunday: We did it all on Sunday!
We rode our bikes to an area called Jordaan. We went to the houseboat museum, apparently only to color in coloring books, but it was fun!*** (****). Then it was off to the Tulip Museum and finally the Rijik Museum, where we saw Rembrandt's famous Night Watch painting.
After our museum splurge we enjoyed the last few hours with our bikes and rode to a park that started with an O (anyone remember?). We made an honest attempt at lunch and then headed back to town to return our bikes. It was a sad goodbye.
Then it was nap-time! We had a surprisingly amazing dinner at a place that looked like it could've been a Brazil, Indiana truck stop. Ooooh the dessert! Anyway, we enjoyed our last evening in the city at a smoky jazz club.
Monday:
The boys headed back to London early in the morning to catch their 10am class, but Ashley and I stuck around to go to the Anne Frank house. This is the canal-house where she spent her time in hiding during WWII. I remembered reading the book when I was a kid, but this gave it a whole new perspective. I bought the book at the airport so I could get the full affect.
After our Munich debacle (missing our flight and spending 10.5 hours stranded in the airport in order to catch the next flight) we headed to the airport about 5 hours early and caught up with some reading.
Somehow customs in London only took 10 minutes and we were home by midnight. Perfecto!
THE END
*Ashley left her purse at this falafel joint, but luckily the waitress ran after her to return it.
**During this bike ride Ashley dropped her gloves. A kind citizen picked them up and rode them back to Ashley.
***Ashley left her scarf here. After the Tulip Museum we had to go back to get it.
**** This is when it really sunk in to me that Ashley can be absent-minded. (Personal note to Ashley: Thank you for reminding me where I hid all my important documents that I hadn't seen for months. .... ummm yeah.)
Thursday:
We had a pleasant journey from Heathrow and landed in Amsterdam around 10 pm. The train from the airport to central Amsterdam was only 15 min. long and only 4 Euros. That is, unless you are Tino, who decided he would get the discounted ticket, eligible only for children. This didn't bode well with the ticket attendant, but Tino played the perfect ignorant tourist and talked himself out of a 50 Euro fine. Job well done.
After settling into our rooms, we ate a disgusting falafel meal at the disgusting Leicester Square-esque area in town and then called it a night.*
Friday:
Richard didn't set his alarm properly and we met Tino and Ashley in Vondel Park, which was next to our hostel, about a half hour late. The hostel was as bare-bones as you could get. The room was a standard sized motel room, but had four bunk beds... a tight squeeze!
The Van Gogh Museum was first on our list. I learned that he only actually painted for ten years and went through many different styles, not just the brightly colored gobs of paint on canvas you usually see. Then we headed to a mother-daughter owned cafe, a colorful coffee-house decorated with a mural of Van Gogh smoking a joint.
We had dinner at an Indonesian place with menu descriptions as specific as "Goble-de-gook Plate: Decadent and lovely." Who needs an ingredient list? (As it turns out none of us, because the surprise dishes were as tasty as can be!). The punchy waitress informed us that the background music was performed by the Dutch equivalent to Frank Sinatra. He had died the day before and they were playing it as a tribute. It was awful. Between the four of us we couldn't decide if we were happy he died because he would no longer make any more music, or if we were sad he died because we were currently being forced to listen to it.
After this we did some Amsterdam shopping and walked around Vondel Park until late late late in the evening.
Saturday:
Dick still hadn't figured out the time change and AGAIN set his alarm for an hour off Amsterdam time. He decided to buy my forgiveness by offering to treat me to a bagel and coffee. It turned out that two bagels and two coffees go for exactly $16.50 in Amsterdam. This gave me a lot of quiet glee!
We met Tino and Ashley in Vondel Park and then enjoyed a pancake breakfast. (I mentioned above this post is for record keeping, not for entertainment.)
After this we rented bikes. This has so far been the best money I have ever spent in Europe. And, apparently, I am considered a little person, and was given a little person bike. Ashley kept warning us that she hadn't ridden a bike since her childhood and she inevitably fell off the bike about 2 blocks into our ride.** What did the nearest onlooker do? Laugh. And not an ordinary chuckle- he screamed, pointed, and had a deeeeep belly laugh.
We rode our bikes to Rembrandt's house. I want to say it was an awesome filled with his paintings, but it actually used to be his house. It contained zero artwork and zero insight into the life of this man. I only suggest going to see this museum if you have an incredible interest into his daily routine, or if you have written a Ph.D. dissertation on the type of crap he liked to collect (stuffed dead animals, weapons, etc).
Okay, now the good stuff!
We rode our bikes to the Red Light District. I was aware that there would be prostitutes in windows, but it was really shocking to actually see them! The girls (some looked like supermodels, some looked like Rosanne Barr) would open a door and you could just walk into their room (!).
The boys went to the hemp museum. Ashley and I were uninterested and we decided to meet back up with them later. We were in the middle of the Red Light District and had no idea what to do. We passed a place that had a PEEP SHOW sign, and we thought, "Well, when in Rome..."
It was 2 Euro for 2 minutes. There were frosted windows that magically cleared after you put your coins in the slot, this revealed a girl stripping on a bed... make that a rotating bed. Ashley and I were bored after about 30 seconds, but it is worth the story, not to mention the look on the boys' faces when they asked us what we got up to!
After this we ate a fondue dinner. I learned that Ashley has a tendancy to be right 99% of the time. Cheese fondue is not at all yummy. After I left I realized my dinner consisted of bread with cheese, and french fries with cheese. Then we headed to the theatre to see a visual explosion of [insert euphemism and change subject].
After the show I got Richard back for not setting the alarm correctly by demanding at 12:30 am that we needed to go out and find a proper dinner. This was NOT an easy task. I again got a great amount of glee in this. I don't consider this vindictive.
Anyway, Sunday: We did it all on Sunday!
We rode our bikes to an area called Jordaan. We went to the houseboat museum, apparently only to color in coloring books, but it was fun!*** (****). Then it was off to the Tulip Museum and finally the Rijik Museum, where we saw Rembrandt's famous Night Watch painting.
After our museum splurge we enjoyed the last few hours with our bikes and rode to a park that started with an O (anyone remember?). We made an honest attempt at lunch and then headed back to town to return our bikes. It was a sad goodbye.
Then it was nap-time! We had a surprisingly amazing dinner at a place that looked like it could've been a Brazil, Indiana truck stop. Ooooh the dessert! Anyway, we enjoyed our last evening in the city at a smoky jazz club.
Monday:
The boys headed back to London early in the morning to catch their 10am class, but Ashley and I stuck around to go to the Anne Frank house. This is the canal-house where she spent her time in hiding during WWII. I remembered reading the book when I was a kid, but this gave it a whole new perspective. I bought the book at the airport so I could get the full affect.
After our Munich debacle (missing our flight and spending 10.5 hours stranded in the airport in order to catch the next flight) we headed to the airport about 5 hours early and caught up with some reading.
Somehow customs in London only took 10 minutes and we were home by midnight. Perfecto!
THE END
*Ashley left her purse at this falafel joint, but luckily the waitress ran after her to return it.
**During this bike ride Ashley dropped her gloves. A kind citizen picked them up and rode them back to Ashley.
***Ashley left her scarf here. After the Tulip Museum we had to go back to get it.
**** This is when it really sunk in to me that Ashley can be absent-minded. (Personal note to Ashley: Thank you for reminding me where I hid all my important documents that I hadn't seen for months. .... ummm yeah.)
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Life here goes WHOOSH!
Ashley and I returned safely from Amsterdam late Monday night. The trip was amazing! We made an itinerary and stuck to it! I think we even did more than we anticipated- and yet had a relaxing weekend!
I will try to have the Amsterdam post done shortly! Promise!
London has been going so fast, and by that I mean this year! It's killing me! Thursday was our monthly clothes swap night. It turned out to be a bit of a bust as word is catching on to this 'phenomenon' and most of my friends came too late to get in... but Richard, Katerina, Manish and I had a great time! My great gal pal Sarvenaz was my official valentine and we showered each other with silly pound store gifts!
Then I watched Ashley do laundry, she treated me to Vietnamese food after finding out some dire news about my bank balance (blasted weak dollar). Then Dick, Tino, Ashley and I hit Edgeware Road to smoke some Hookah. Lovely, lovely quiet evening!
I am signing off, and am making a promise to make a greater attempt to update this more!
Ciao!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
How could you tire of London? This is a LONG post, so settle in with a warm beverage....
I really love this city!
It is the start of the semester, so my friends and I have chilled a bit and explored the city. Thus creating a new approach to London, along with a new motto: "Less drinking, more walking."
There really is so much to see here... So we started going on London walks. www.walks.com
These walks take you places in London you would never see on your own, and for the price of 1 and 2/3 pints (5 pounds). A great supplement to actually living here...
My last week:
Last Friday- Took an evening to myself and explored the Tate Modern. Ultimately decided that the best place a person could physically be in is the Millennium Bridge over the River Thames that leads from the museum to St. Paul's Cathedral. Wonderful! After a sober evening in the museum I went out for a drink with (non-school) friends in the middle of nowhere in London (Woolrich-Arsenal). When I arrived at ten pm one person in my group was very drunk. Very drunk. We were asked to leave. I went home. In conclusion, I got kicked out of a pub. ... New experiences...
Last Saturday- Went to Notting Hill with Iris and bought a wonderful dress for only 3 pounds, in addition to enough brie to feed an army for only 1 pound. SCORE! I was with three others and we had our photo taken in front of the picturesque street. Right before the camera went off a man fell right in front of us. He dropped his cell phone, slid across the concrete arms out, and ate it. We weren't really sure what to do and it all happened so fast! As he was laying at our feet and we just looked at each other. The man then muttered 'dammit,' got up, and apologised to US! The stranger took our photo, and we walked off... just waiting for karma to get us. Photo: Some lovely English chaps enjoying the market.
Last Saturday evening- I went on the London Walks Tour called "the ghosts of the Old City." It was a wonderful excursion through old alleys around St. Paul's and a square mile of London that is known as "The City." It was marvelous! I learned all sorts of interesting ghost stories and the history of a neighborhood very close to mine. In fact, we decided to just walk home to Old Street from St. Paul's. I am not at all sure how long it takes (but, I know it is walking distance... cool, or what?) because I decided take a pit stop and give my friend a tour of the Barbican Centre, a complex built above all roads to house an entirely pedestrianized venue for multiple theaters, a library, museum, performing arts center, and much much more... An entire complex dedicated to public space! We ended up catching a free Irish band concert and drinking wine until 11 pm. We then walked back to Old Street to meet our friends for a quick 3o min. dance before closing time.
All in all.... I did everything possible in London in one day.
Last Sunday- We went to Brick Lane, Spitalfields, and Petticoat lane markets. Again, all walking
distance from my house. I love the East End... It is a bit dodgy, and more than a little gritty, but it is old old old, and has tons of history (Jack the Ripper, German air raids, etc). I found a great Wedgwood piece for my mom for only 4 pounds. I love the markets! Sunday evening we all settled into Tino's apartment near Bond Street and had a Michael Lynch/Woody Allen movie night. Photo: me in tiny alley in East End and next to some great graffiti. 
It is the start of the semester, so my friends and I have chilled a bit and explored the city. Thus creating a new approach to London, along with a new motto: "Less drinking, more walking."
There really is so much to see here... So we started going on London walks. www.walks.com
These walks take you places in London you would never see on your own, and for the price of 1 and 2/3 pints (5 pounds). A great supplement to actually living here...
My last week:
Last Friday- Took an evening to myself and explored the Tate Modern. Ultimately decided that the best place a person could physically be in is the Millennium Bridge over the River Thames that leads from the museum to St. Paul's Cathedral. Wonderful! After a sober evening in the museum I went out for a drink with (non-school) friends in the middle of nowhere in London (Woolrich-Arsenal). When I arrived at ten pm one person in my group was very drunk. Very drunk. We were asked to leave. I went home. In conclusion, I got kicked out of a pub. ... New experiences...
Last Saturday- Went to Notting Hill with Iris and bought a wonderful dress for only 3 pounds, in addition to enough brie to feed an army for only 1 pound. SCORE! I was with three others and we had our photo taken in front of the picturesque street. Right before the camera went off a man fell right in front of us. He dropped his cell phone, slid across the concrete arms out, and ate it. We weren't really sure what to do and it all happened so fast! As he was laying at our feet and we just looked at each other. The man then muttered 'dammit,' got up, and apologised to US! The stranger took our photo, and we walked off... just waiting for karma to get us. Photo: Some lovely English chaps enjoying the market.
Last Saturday evening- I went on the London Walks Tour called "the ghosts of the Old City." It was a wonderful excursion through old alleys around St. Paul's and a square mile of London that is known as "The City." It was marvelous! I learned all sorts of interesting ghost stories and the history of a neighborhood very close to mine. In fact, we decided to just walk home to Old Street from St. Paul's. I am not at all sure how long it takes (but, I know it is walking distance... cool, or what?) because I decided take a pit stop and give my friend a tour of the Barbican Centre, a complex built above all roads to house an entirely pedestrianized venue for multiple theaters, a library, museum, performing arts center, and much much more... An entire complex dedicated to public space! We ended up catching a free Irish band concert and drinking wine until 11 pm. We then walked back to Old Street to meet our friends for a quick 3o min. dance before closing time.
All in all.... I did everything possible in London in one day.
Last Sunday- We went to Brick Lane, Spitalfields, and Petticoat lane markets. Again, all walking
distance from my house. I love the East End... It is a bit dodgy, and more than a little gritty, but it is old old old, and has tons of history (Jack the Ripper, German air raids, etc). I found a great Wedgwood piece for my mom for only 4 pounds. I love the markets! Sunday evening we all settled into Tino's apartment near Bond Street and had a Michael Lynch/Woody Allen movie night. Photo: me in tiny alley in East End and next to some great graffiti. 
Monday through Wednesday- I went to classes, the gym, studied and led an otherwise boring existence, except that Ashley and I did a Jack the Ripper London Walk. I am determined to grow old in the East End.
Thursday- I had class. Boring. OK. Then it was the beginning of my favorite night of the month: SWAP-A-RAMA RAZZMATAZZ. Otherwise known as the clothes swap. My friend Dick and I
took it very seriously this time, arriving before 9 pm. and armed with a few garments we could live without... And there has never been a swaparama like it!!! We had a strong crew of eight of us swapping with maybe 200 other London folk! The photos say it all. The first is what we looked like before. Then some photos of the middle. Then the last is what we looked like at 2 am in the kitchen. Oooh what a great evening.
Thursday- I had class. Boring. OK. Then it was the beginning of my favorite night of the month: SWAP-A-RAMA RAZZMATAZZ. Otherwise known as the clothes swap. My friend Dick and I
took it very seriously this time, arriving before 9 pm. and armed with a few garments we could live without... And there has never been a swaparama like it!!! We had a strong crew of eight of us swapping with maybe 200 other London folk! The photos say it all. The first is what we looked like before. Then some photos of the middle. Then the last is what we looked like at 2 am in the kitchen. Oooh what a great evening.
Friday- Woke up early(ish) and met Richard in Greenwich. This is the place where time was invented. I would say what actually occurred there but I was kind of hung-over and extremely exhauste
d. So I am going to just go with 'time was invented there.' You can stand on the actual line that is the Prime Meridian. And I did just that, except we couldn't be bothered to take the photo of it. You'll just have to take my word for it. Interestingly enough, Richard was setting his watch to THE time of the Greenwich Royal Observatory with a clock next to the Prime Meridian, but I looked over to another clock on the Observatory building, and the times were different. Different! By at least 20 seconds. We really felt inclined to tell someone about this huge oversight, but we were awfully exhausted..... Photo: Greenwich.
Saturday- The longest tourist day in London history. I again woke up early and met Dick at the
Barbican Centre for an exhibit on sexual depictions in art from artifacts to Warhol. Enough said, right family? OK, then we did our own walking tour of Canary Wharf, an area in London that has splendid sky scrapers. It is really the only place, other than The City that has such buildings. We explored the Docklands Museum, which covered the importance of the Thames ports throughout London's history and then walked along the river and the wonderful views of the rest of the city... Did I mention the sunset? Photo: this sunset!
At this point we had been walking around for about 6 hours, and we had plans to meet up with 6 other friend
s for a walking tour of Hampstead. I almost decided not to go, but am so glad I did. It was beautiful! It has the highest point in London, and amazing views of the city! We walked through pedestrian streets through Georgian houses, homes where HG Wells, Katharine Mansfield, Boy George, and the Spice girls live (or have lived). We also saw the house where Mary Poppins was set in (... I am pretty it is the concept, not the movie. Correct?). Then we met up with a few more friends and had a giant feast in an Indian restaurant in the area. Photo: Indian Feast.
We took a train back to Hoxton and went to the dance club behind our house until 1 am. Then the Aussie friend we were with had the idea to go to a Rockabilly night at a club down the road. The club is a "Gentleman's club (read strip)" but one night a week the owner hires rockabilly DJs and the Shoreditch and Hoxton elite (there was a male Christian Dior model there) come to dance to music anyone in even my hillbilly hometown would have thrown a fit if played at a dance. But these people loved it! It was insanity! The bar was a bit dodgy, but no one in the bar was. It was like a secret meeting of those bougie Londoners who have an inner love for rockabilly. And frankly, there were a lot of them. Furthermore, I have no idea what to make of this.....
Aaaaah. So my tourist weekend(s) ends? No.
Today I woke up really late and met my friend Sarvenaz, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend's Scotch coworker for a market afternoon in Camden. This turned into us walking to Regent's Park's Primrose hill to watch the sunset! Afterwards, we walked all along the Embankment to Parliament, then to the Abbey, then to Buckingham, then to Trafalgar, then to Piccadilly. Her boyfriend is going back to the states in a few days so he had to get it all in!
I am going to sleep for an eternity now!
d. So I am going to just go with 'time was invented there.' You can stand on the actual line that is the Prime Meridian. And I did just that, except we couldn't be bothered to take the photo of it. You'll just have to take my word for it. Interestingly enough, Richard was setting his watch to THE time of the Greenwich Royal Observatory with a clock next to the Prime Meridian, but I looked over to another clock on the Observatory building, and the times were different. Different! By at least 20 seconds. We really felt inclined to tell someone about this huge oversight, but we were awfully exhausted..... Photo: Greenwich.Saturday- The longest tourist day in London history. I again woke up early and met Dick at the
Barbican Centre for an exhibit on sexual depictions in art from artifacts to Warhol. Enough said, right family? OK, then we did our own walking tour of Canary Wharf, an area in London that has splendid sky scrapers. It is really the only place, other than The City that has such buildings. We explored the Docklands Museum, which covered the importance of the Thames ports throughout London's history and then walked along the river and the wonderful views of the rest of the city... Did I mention the sunset? Photo: this sunset!At this point we had been walking around for about 6 hours, and we had plans to meet up with 6 other friend
s for a walking tour of Hampstead. I almost decided not to go, but am so glad I did. It was beautiful! It has the highest point in London, and amazing views of the city! We walked through pedestrian streets through Georgian houses, homes where HG Wells, Katharine Mansfield, Boy George, and the Spice girls live (or have lived). We also saw the house where Mary Poppins was set in (... I am pretty it is the concept, not the movie. Correct?). Then we met up with a few more friends and had a giant feast in an Indian restaurant in the area. Photo: Indian Feast.We took a train back to Hoxton and went to the dance club behind our house until 1 am. Then the Aussie friend we were with had the idea to go to a Rockabilly night at a club down the road. The club is a "Gentleman's club (read strip)" but one night a week the owner hires rockabilly DJs and the Shoreditch and Hoxton elite (there was a male Christian Dior model there) come to dance to music anyone in even my hillbilly hometown would have thrown a fit if played at a dance. But these people loved it! It was insanity! The bar was a bit dodgy, but no one in the bar was. It was like a secret meeting of those bougie Londoners who have an inner love for rockabilly. And frankly, there were a lot of them. Furthermore, I have no idea what to make of this.....
Aaaaah. So my tourist weekend(s) ends? No.
Today I woke up really late and met my friend Sarvenaz, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend's Scotch coworker for a market afternoon in Camden. This turned into us walking to Regent's Park's Primrose hill to watch the sunset! Afterwards, we walked all along the Embankment to Parliament, then to the Abbey, then to Buckingham, then to Trafalgar, then to Piccadilly. Her boyfriend is going back to the states in a few days so he had to get it all in!
I am going to sleep for an eternity now!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Christmas Break!
I really should've stayed home longer... after returning I suffered the worlds worst jet lag, followed by writing the most difficult paper ever. I finally finished Monday evening, all to start classes the next day!
But, the most exciting thing has happened: Ashley, Tino, Richard, and I booked our trip to Amsterdam! We will be there from the 7th-11th of February. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we will be taking in the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, the Red Light District, canals, and cafes. Monday Ashley and I are going to leave depressed, as we are visiting the Anne Frank house, where she and her family hid during the war.
Ooooh. Can't wait for the holiday!!
But, the most exciting thing has happened: Ashley, Tino, Richard, and I booked our trip to Amsterdam! We will be there from the 7th-11th of February. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we will be taking in the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, the Red Light District, canals, and cafes. Monday Ashley and I are going to leave depressed, as we are visiting the Anne Frank house, where she and her family hid during the war.
Ooooh. Can't wait for the holiday!!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Writing....
I don't have much time to write...
So I am going to leave you with some photos of New Year's Eve and talk about the evening later.
Just after midnight!
Just after midnight!
Crowds at Trafalgar Square.
Belly dancers at dinner.
Obligatory flip-off at 10 Downing Street.
Ashley's and my first Big Ben photo!
Ashley's and my first Big Ben photo!
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Space of time between arrival and NYE.
I arrived on Friday afternoon and managed a 3 hour nap around 3:30 p.m. When I woke up I had absolutely no idea what to do with myself! I bought groceries around ten. The hours between 6:30 and groceries, and from groceries to 1:00 am cannot be accounted for. I did not sleep. I did nothing productive. Ashley and I each discovered that the other was awake and visited until about 3:00 a.m.
I tried to sleep, but just couldn't! I started texting people I thought would maybe be awake. Sharif, of course, was up. He was just leaving a party and took a cab over so we could play with the remote control helicopter I imported for him from the states. That amused us until about 8:00 a.m. (sunrise), when I finally passed out.
I woke up at about 4:00 pm the next day, which is after sunset in this part of the world, which was terribly depressing. Sharif and I reconvened a few hours later and took a stroll through the East End (about fifteen min. walking time more east than me). We went to this members only club that did not sell alcohol, just tea and juices, and apparently had the only benefit of having excellent mint tea and enough room to again play with the helicopter. I stuck around long enough and then met Manish in the West End (a nicer, but less interesting bit of this town).
We went to a pub on a boat. Pub boats are wonderful when you can sit outside, but it was too cold for that. The only negative thing about pub boats is that there is this compounding affect of having a bit too much to drink and a swaying foundation under your feet. At that point it was time to call it a night! I slept until around noon, then napped from about 12:15 pm. to 4 pm. ... and I missed another span of daylight completely. Damn!
That brings us to Sunday. All I really had time to do was take a shower, unpack about 3 shirts, and meet my old boss Tom. We had a good meal in Covent Garden. I got us super lost in the area of ???, and then managed to find my way back to Leicester Square without looking at a map or asking people. Because, folks, that is unacceptable and less exciting than walking around in circles. I mean, I have my pride.....
Then I dragged him to Camden with my pal Richard. The dance floors were closed in preparation for the next night's NYE spectacular. So, we just bar hopped a bit. And Tom had the marvelous experience of being in a dodgy area of town while depending on two kids who drank to much to teach him how to use the night bus map. "It's not hard. You find your destination with the index. Find the bus that goes there. Cross reference that with your location on this map. Determine which bus stop letter corresponds to your bus. Figure out how to walk to that bus stop. Then jump on the bus! See? Not hard. Now, you'll need to repeat this when you get to Oxford Circus, you can manage, right? You'll be home by dawn, no doubt!"
I really hope he made it. It's been bothering me.
Ashley, Richard and I chatted until about 4:00 a.m. Then I slept until 2:00 p.m. Just in time to watch the sun set, which I felt was an achievement.....
Next: NYE
I tried to sleep, but just couldn't! I started texting people I thought would maybe be awake. Sharif, of course, was up. He was just leaving a party and took a cab over so we could play with the remote control helicopter I imported for him from the states. That amused us until about 8:00 a.m. (sunrise), when I finally passed out.
I woke up at about 4:00 pm the next day, which is after sunset in this part of the world, which was terribly depressing. Sharif and I reconvened a few hours later and took a stroll through the East End (about fifteen min. walking time more east than me). We went to this members only club that did not sell alcohol, just tea and juices, and apparently had the only benefit of having excellent mint tea and enough room to again play with the helicopter. I stuck around long enough and then met Manish in the West End (a nicer, but less interesting bit of this town).
We went to a pub on a boat. Pub boats are wonderful when you can sit outside, but it was too cold for that. The only negative thing about pub boats is that there is this compounding affect of having a bit too much to drink and a swaying foundation under your feet. At that point it was time to call it a night! I slept until around noon, then napped from about 12:15 pm. to 4 pm. ... and I missed another span of daylight completely. Damn!
That brings us to Sunday. All I really had time to do was take a shower, unpack about 3 shirts, and meet my old boss Tom. We had a good meal in Covent Garden. I got us super lost in the area of ???, and then managed to find my way back to Leicester Square without looking at a map or asking people. Because, folks, that is unacceptable and less exciting than walking around in circles. I mean, I have my pride.....
Then I dragged him to Camden with my pal Richard. The dance floors were closed in preparation for the next night's NYE spectacular. So, we just bar hopped a bit. And Tom had the marvelous experience of being in a dodgy area of town while depending on two kids who drank to much to teach him how to use the night bus map. "It's not hard. You find your destination with the index. Find the bus that goes there. Cross reference that with your location on this map. Determine which bus stop letter corresponds to your bus. Figure out how to walk to that bus stop. Then jump on the bus! See? Not hard. Now, you'll need to repeat this when you get to Oxford Circus, you can manage, right? You'll be home by dawn, no doubt!"
I really hope he made it. It's been bothering me.
Ashley, Richard and I chatted until about 4:00 a.m. Then I slept until 2:00 p.m. Just in time to watch the sun set, which I felt was an achievement.....
Next: NYE
Been a while, eh?
I will be blogging more. Or at the very least trying harder to blog more.
TRIP HOME: Dissssaster.
At the airport in Indianapolis, my mom played the obvious and evil trick of telling me my flight to Chicago had been cancelled. Moms are funny. But wait, she was serious. The American Airline man said that he would kindly book a hotel for me in Indianapolis and I could catch the flight the next day. But I had already said goodbye to my cats, was packed, and finally emotionally prepared to say bye to my parents. I would have to repeat all of this tomorrow?? No, sir.
So, I cried a bit and they switched me to a Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit, and then a British Airways flight to London.
The BA flight was great! My lovely flight neighbor and I shared London stories over (numerous) bloody Mary's. Customs at Heathrow was a cinch and I was back home at around 2:00 pm.
After lugging my bags all over the London Underground, I felt like I was in the homestretch after carrying my bags up the final flight of stairs to my flat. All these feelings of success drowned as I discovered that maintenance had changed the locks to my flat. Exhausted and grumpy, I left my bags to be stolen and asked for new keys at the front desk. The man decided it would be a fun 'group excursion' for us to find a key together. He tried random keys on a ring, while I stood there dealt with his small talk. Me: "Hey, I have a great idea. I go to sleep. You find my key. I wake up and get it later. Yeah? OK great. Buh bye!"
I fell asleep at approximately 8:00 a.m. the next morning.
NEW YEARS EVE '07-'08 is coming.
TRIP HOME: Dissssaster.
At the airport in Indianapolis, my mom played the obvious and evil trick of telling me my flight to Chicago had been cancelled. Moms are funny. But wait, she was serious. The American Airline man said that he would kindly book a hotel for me in Indianapolis and I could catch the flight the next day. But I had already said goodbye to my cats, was packed, and finally emotionally prepared to say bye to my parents. I would have to repeat all of this tomorrow?? No, sir.
So, I cried a bit and they switched me to a Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit, and then a British Airways flight to London.
The BA flight was great! My lovely flight neighbor and I shared London stories over (numerous) bloody Mary's. Customs at Heathrow was a cinch and I was back home at around 2:00 pm.
After lugging my bags all over the London Underground, I felt like I was in the homestretch after carrying my bags up the final flight of stairs to my flat. All these feelings of success drowned as I discovered that maintenance had changed the locks to my flat. Exhausted and grumpy, I left my bags to be stolen and asked for new keys at the front desk. The man decided it would be a fun 'group excursion' for us to find a key together. He tried random keys on a ring, while I stood there dealt with his small talk. Me: "Hey, I have a great idea. I go to sleep. You find my key. I wake up and get it later. Yeah? OK great. Buh bye!"
I fell asleep at approximately 8:00 a.m. the next morning.
NEW YEARS EVE '07-'08 is coming.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
